“It Is Written”: How the New Testament Interprets the Old Testament

1. Introduction

The phrase “It is written” (gegraptai) appears repeatedly in the New Testament, signalling an appeal to the authority and permanence of the Old Testament Scriptures. Early Christians, particularly the Gospel writers and apostles, did not merely cite Scripture—they interpreted it theologically, often Christologically, and sometimes typologically or allegorically. This article explores the interpretative strategies employed by New Testament authors, demonstrating how the Old Testament was re-read in light of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

2. The Phrase “It Is Written”: Literary and Theological Weight

The Greek term gegraptai (“it is written”) appears over 60 times in the New Testament. It functions as:

  • A formula of divine authority,
  • A bridge between past revelation and present fulfilment,
  • A hermeneutical cue signalling interpretive engagement.

For example:

  • Jesus responds to Satan’s temptations with “It is written…” (Matt. 4:4, 4:7, 4:10),
  • Paul repeatedly uses it to support doctrinal points (e.g., Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:10).

This formula links the apostolic message to the unchanging Word of God as contained in Scripture.

3. Types of Old Testament Interpretation in the New Testament

The New Testament uses a range of interpretative methods, drawn partly from Second Temple Jewish tradition, and applied through the lens of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and exaltation.

A. Literal Fulfilment

Prophecies are sometimes seen as directly fulfilled in events of Jesus’ life:

  • Micah 5:2 → “But you, Bethlehem…” quoted in Matthew 2:6,
  • Isaiah 53 → Suffering Servant language applied to Jesus in Acts 8:32–35.

B. Typology

Typology involves reading persons, events, or institutions in the Old Testament as foreshadowing Christ:

  • Adam → Christ: “As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22),
  • Passover lamb → Jesus: “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7),
  • Jonah → Resurrection: “Just as Jonah was three days… so the Son of Man…” (Matt. 12:40).

Typology affirms continuity and fulfilment, not arbitrary reinterpretation.

C. Midrashic and Exegetical Expansion

New Testament authors engage in interpretive expansion:

  • Matthew 2:15: “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Hosea 11:1), originally about Israel, now applied to Jesus.
  • This reflects Jewish midrashic technique: applying ancient texts to new redemptive events.

D. Allegorical and Symbolic Interpretation

Paul occasionally uses allegory:

  • Galatians 4:21–31: Hagar and Sarah represent two covenants—one of slavery (Sinai), the other of freedom (Jerusalem above).
  • Though controversial among later interpreters, this approach was consistent with contemporary Jewish hermeneutics, especially in Alexandrian Judaism (cf. Philo).

4. Christological Reinterpretation of the Old Testament

The New Testament authors consistently reinterpret Old Testament texts Christologically.

Examples:

  • Psalm 110:1: “The Lord said to my Lord…” is the most frequently cited Old Testament verse in the New Testament, applied to Jesus’ exaltation (e.g., Matt. 22:44; Acts 2:34).
  • Isaiah 7:14: “A virgin will conceive…” is read as fulfilled in the virgin birth (Matt. 1:23).
  • Isaiah 61:1–2: Jesus quotes this in Luke 4:18–21, applying the prophetic promise to his own mission.

This Christocentric hermeneutic forms the core of apostolic preaching (cf. Acts 13; Acts 28:23).

5. Apostolic Preaching and the Scriptural Narrative

The apostolic proclamation (Greek: kerygma) is deeply rooted in the Old Testament narrative:

“Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures… he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4).

Peter’s sermons in Acts 2 and 3, and Paul’s speeches in Acts 13 and 17, are saturated with biblical quotations, showing:

  • Continuity between Israel’s history and the Gospel,
  • Emphasis on fulfilled prophecy,
  • Use of Scripture as evangelistic authority.

6. Patterns of Scripture Usage by New Testament Authors

A. Matthew

  • Heavy on “fulfilled” prophecies,
  • Strong use of formula quotations (e.g., “this was to fulfil what was spoken…”).

B. Luke–Acts

  • Emphasises promise–fulfilment logic,
  • Shows Jesus as the climax of Israel’s history.

C. John

  • Employs symbolic and thematic fulfilment (e.g., Jesus as the true Temple, Bread, Light).

D. Paul

  • Uses Scripture for both theological construction and practical exhortation,
  • Fuses typology and direct citation to construct doctrines of justification, resurrection, and Gentile inclusion.

7. Implications for Biblical Theology

The New Testament’s use of the Old Testament reveals:

  • Scripture as a unified story: Creation, covenant, exile, promise, Messiah, and new creation.
  • Jesus as the hermeneutical key: The Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms point to him (Luke 24:44).
  • Scripture as living and adaptable: Not manipulated, but re-read with Spirit-inspired clarity in light of Christ.

This interpretive model lays the foundation for Christian biblical theology, in which the Old and New Testaments form a coherent, continuous revelation centred on Christ.

8. Conclusion

The phrase “It is written” does more than introduce quotations—it anchors the New Testament message in divine authority, covenantal continuity, and fulfilled promise. Through typology, midrash, literal fulfilment, and allegory, the early Church did not discard the Old Testament but reinterpreted it through the lens of Jesus Christ. Their reading was not innovative for novelty’s sake, but redemptive and revelatory, declaring the unity of Scripture under the lordship of the risen Christ.

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